Reversible surface tray assembly for a toy top

ABSTRACT

A peripherally walled two-sided tray with accessory holding portions and an extending handle, is adapted to hold replaceable accessory inserts with different surface configurations requiring different degrees and types of skill and for amusement with spinning toy tops. The inserts may include a maze, a ramp-jump configuration, a magic slate arrangement, a plurality of spinning discs and others.

United States Patent De Gelder et al.

[54] REVERSIBLE SURFACE TRAY ASSEMBLY FOR A TOY TOP [72] Inventors:Jacob De Gelder; Albert R. Baginski;

Anthony D. Miller, all of Torrance, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Mattel, lnc., Hawthorne, Calif.

[22] Filed: March 9, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 17,546

52 us. c1. .273 115, 273/128 R, 46/65, 46/67, 46/73, 46/50 511 Int. Cl...A63b 67/14 58 Field ofSearch ...273/108, 109, 1 10, 1 12; 46/67 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,215,033 2/1917 King .273/1102,750,192 6/1956 Haslett ..273/872 [451 July 4,1972

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 752,110 7/1956 England "273/109 PrimaryExaminer-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerTheatrice BrownAttorney-Albert M. Herzig, Eugene O. Heberer, Max E. Shirk, Frederic P.Smith, Gerald L. Price, Leo A. Rosetta and Franklin D. Jankosky [5 7]ABSTRACT A peripherally walled two-sided tray with accessory holdingportions and an extending handle, is adapted to hold replaceableaccessory inserts with different surface configurations requiringdifferent degrees and types of skill and for amusement with spinning toytops. The inserts may include a maze, a ramp-jump configuration, a magicslate arrangement, a plurality of spinning discs and others.

9 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures REVERSIBLE SURFACE TRAY ASSENIBLY FOR A TOYTOP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will beset forth in two parts.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains generally tothe field of toy tops and more particularly to accessories requiringskill and also for sheer amusement in use with spinning toy tops.

2. Description of the Prior Art The use for scientific and amusementpurposes of the gyrr scopic effect of spinning bodies has long beenknown. Generally, in the amusement or toy field, these devices are knownas tops or spinning tops. Such tops may take many different forms, somebeing very simple in construction comprising only a disc transverselymounted along a shaft which is rotated merely by twisting between ausers fingers. Others are more elaborate requiring that a cord be woundabout a shaft and pulled briskly by its user to impart on the top thedesired rotation. More recently, sophisticated top configurations havebeen developed which utilize some of the techniques used withcomplicated gyros used for navigation purposes as providing vanes on therotating member whereby it is caused to rotate by an air stream.

The art has also tended to develop gyroscopic toys having less classicalappearances. For example, toy tops are now provided with housing whichconceal and protect the rotating annular rim of a hub supported memberso that it will not accidentally come into contact with obstructions orthe users hand and cause it to lose momentum.

Still another development of the present invention is the use of toplaunchers and platforms which initially impart a rotation force to thetoy and then allow the user to manipulate the top about the associatedplatform. Although at first this scheme may seem to be advantageous, ithas been found that the launching mechanisms are cumbersome and prone tomalfunction which obviates the usefulness, although possiblyincorporating skill requiring contours, are permanent and do not allowfor variations and thereby a change of scenery. This generally leads toa stagnant situation; one in which its user may soon tire of and becomebored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing factors and conditionscharacteristic of prior art spinning toy tops, it is a primary object ofthe present invention to provide a new toy top accessory not subject tothe disadvantages enumerated above and having a peripheral wallsurrounded tray which allows different accessory inserts to be held forutilization with spinning tops.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple tofabricate toy top accessory which allows the utilization of differentaccessory inserts each requiring a different degree and type of skill byits user.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an easily handledand manipulated spinning top accessory holding tray with differentfeatures on opposite sides of the tray.

According to the present invention, a toy top accessory is provided foruse with spinning tops including a tray with accessory insert holdingportions and including a plurality of removable accessory insertsdisposable in the insert holding portions of the tray, each of theinserts having different surface configurations requiring differentdegrees and types of skill with spinning toy tops.

The tray may include a handle member and a peripheral wall, the handlemember extending outwardly from and in the plane of the tray.

The inserts may be in the form of a maze with an endless top travelingpath or in the form of a ramp terminating in a concave dish wherein aspinning top may be, with a considerable degree of skill, captured in anaperture in the dish surface.

The tray may have insert retaining portions on opposite sides thereofwhereby different type of insert structures may be retained and utilizedwith a spinning toy top.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to likeelements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of oneside of a toy top accessory according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1a illustrates how a toy top of a type preferred for use with theinvention is activated;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 wherein amagic slate-type attachment is utilized with a spinning toy top;

FIG. 3 shows perspectively a maze type insert held in the accessoryaccording to the invention;

FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the maze insert shownin FIG. 3 taken along line 3a--3a;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an opposite side of the tray shown inFIG. 1, wherein differently patterned and colored discs are caused tospin by contact with a spinning top;

FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view of a. portion of the tray andpatterned disc as shown in FIG. 4 taken along line 4a4a;

FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 4a illustrating apreferred method of providing the disc holding bosses;

FIG. 40 is an enlarged view of the use of a special tip and a spinningdisk of the type shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a jump-ramp insert positioned inthe tray as seen in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5a is a cross-sectional view of the ramp-concave dish taken alongline 5a-5a of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional view of the ramp transversely to thespinning top path in FIG. 5a taken along line Sb-Sb;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of still another use of the special tip tosupport and connect two spinning tops;

FIG. 7 shows perspectively a novel means to support a spinning top in astand;

FIG. 7a is a partial illustration of another use fora novel tip whichallows the spinning top to balance on a cord; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a means of coupling a spinning top of the type shownto a pedestal or stand.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the drawingsand more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a toy top accessory 11for use with a spinning top 13 which accessory includes a tray 15generally comprising a first planar surface 17, a peripheral wall 19 anda handle 21 extending from the tray 15 in the plane of the tray. Thetray, wall and handle may be integrally constructed, by any conventionaltechnique such as injection molding using any generally suitablematerial such as many commonly used plastics such as a high impactstyrene, for example.

The handle 21 may have any gripping surface such as the partiallygrooved configuration shown, and the wall 19 may include a plurality ofreinforcing or stiffening integral posts 23. The wall 19 may also be setback from the outer edge 25 of the surface 17 so that a pair ofoppositely disposed wall depressions 27 may be incorporated in thestructure to register with and hold removable inserts to be describedlater.

The toy top 13, shown having traveled along an irregular path 29 on thesurface 17 as guided by an operator (not shown) holding the handle 21,preferably includes a gyroscopic mechanism (not shown) rotatably held ina closed housing 31. The housing 31 includes a two sectioned sphericalportion 33 and a stem portion 35 through which the gyroscopic mechanism5 shaft 37 protrudes (see FIG. 3a). The housing 33 may be formed by anyconventional plastic molding process and a relatively softer plastic orresilient material may be used to form a starting tip 39 having ahemispherical end surface 41 and fixed adjacent a slightly extendedshaft tip 43 of the shaft or spindle 37.

FIG. 1a illustrates how the top 13 is activated by an operators hand 40gripping the housing 13 and moving the top 13 in a generally lateraldirection 44 with the surface 41 of the starting tip 39 in contact withany convenient relatively flat surface 45 to cause the starting tip 39and the spindle 37 to rotate in a direction indicated by arrow 47 withrespect to the housing 33. Thus, the top 13 may be held with thestarting tip 39 pressed against a floor surface and the tip rolledtherealong as the top is swung in a generally half circle around theoperator. This action may be repeated until the gyroscopic mechanismwithin the top 13 has reached a high rotation speed. Once so activated,the top 13 may be positioned with its now rotating metal shaft tip 43supported on the first planar surface 17, and the accessory 11 rotatedslightly about the axis of the handle 21 as indicated by arrows 49and/or tilted transversely thereto as shown by arrows 51.

In a writing top embodiment of the invention as seen in FIG. 2, aconventional magic slate configuration comprising a base plate 53 havinga generally rectangular shape, and also having a soft carbon paper-likewax surface 57. Attached at one end 59 of the plate 53 is a flexibletranslucent plastic sheet 61 upon which the shaft tip 43 of the top 13may be supported to cause the appearance of whatever design 63 anoperator may desire as he holds and manipulates the handle 21 of theaccessory 11. The design 63 may be erased by merely lifting either freecomer 65 of the sheet 61 until it is completely separated from the waxsurface 57 of the plate 53.

Still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherea maze insert 71 is positioned and held over the first planar surface 17and has a generally planar upper surface 73 with a relatively deeptrough-like depression 75 extending from a first end 77 to a second end79 in a very irregular pattern. The maze insert 71 is adapted to begenerally inserted within the wall 19 of the tray with its peripheraledge 81 adjacent thereto, and is held in place by its tabs 83 downwardlyextending from the two surface extension portions 85 of the uppersurface 73. As seen in more detail in FIG. 3a, the trough 75 includesintegral side walls 87, parallel spinning top paths 89 and 91 at thebottom of the trough, and a slightly raised divider wall portion 93between the paths 89 and 91. The divider-wall 93 extends along theentire length of the trough 75 except at the ends 77, 78 and 79. Thisprovides an endless path for top travel in the trough. Thus with thedevelopment of a certain degree of skill in the manipulation of the tray15, an operator may be successful in causing a spinning top to traversethe length of the trough from end to end and back again, first in onegeneral direction 95 on one of the paths and in the opposite directionon the other of the parallel paths upon reaching one of the trough ends77 or 79.

With reference to FIG. 4, a still further embodiment of the invention isshown utilizing a second planar surface 101 opposite the first planarsurface 17 of the accessory 11. The surface 101 is surrounded by aperipheral wall 103 having inwardly extending projections 105, eachbeing perpendicular to the wall 103 and being six in number, two equallydividing each longer dimensioned portions 107 of the wall 103 and onecentered in each of the end wall portions 109. The projections 105 onopposite walls are positioned directly opposite each other toeffectively divide the second planer surface 101 into six equal areas.

Disposed generally centrally in each of these six imaginary areas is araised boss member 111 having a bearing aperture 113 in the top 115thereof. The boss member 111 may be molded as an integral part of theaccessory 11 as seen in FIG. 4a. The latter figure also clearlyillustrates the positioning of circular swirls 1 17 on top of desiredones of the members 111. The swirls 117 comprise a circular disk 119 ofplastic or stiff cardboard and a centrally disposed round aperture 121in which may be fixed a relatively smaller plastic button 123 having anupper conical aperture 125, a stepped lower outer surface 127 and abutton tip portion 129 as best viewed in FIG.

4b. The disk 119 is attached to the button 123 by forcing an annularcollar 131 over a raised ring portion 133 on the lower portion of thebuttons outer surface 127, as clearly shown by the dotted lines in thefigure.

In operation, the swirls 117 are placed so that their button tipportions 129 are in the bearing apertures 113 of desired ones of theraised boss members 111. The swirls are then caused to rotate, asindicated by arrow 135 in FIG. 4, by pressing the end surface 41 of aspinning top s rotating starting tip 41 into conical aperture 125. Aswirl so treated will soon acquire the speed of the rotating top due tothe frictional coupling, and the top may then be removed leaving theswirl to rotate freely. The operator may use swirls with designs alreadyimprinted on the upper surfaces of the disks 119, or original patternsand designsv may be fashioned on unprinted disks or surfaces of disks bythe use of colored pencils, crayon or paints, for example.

The swirls 117, once rotating, may remain captured by the boss members111 or by using a quick upward movement of the accessory I 11 thespinning swirls will fall to a table or floor surface and continuespinning. Altemately, a swirl may be placed on any flat surface and aspinning top 13 placed with its tip in the conical aperture 125 andeither allowed to remain there so that both spin together or the topremoved to leave the swirl to spin alone.

FIG. 40 illustrates an alternate use of a circular disk 119 using aspecial tip structure 141 (one of several types usable with the tops 13)which has a disk portion 143 disposed between two similar arm members145 with shallow tip apertures 146 and outer surfaces 147 havingdiameters decreasing with distance from the disk portion 143. One of themembers 145 may be inserted into an axially disposed aperture 149 at theopposite end of the top 13 from the tops stem portion 35. Alternatively,either of the members 145 may be inserted into an axially disposedaperture 149 if the tip structure 141 is made symmetrical. Although notshown in detail, a slightly sloping walled, inwardly extending tipreceptacle member 151 is molded into the upper portion of the housing 33starting at the aperture 149 and conforming to the shape of andaccommodating in a holding relationship one of the tube members 145 ofthe tip structure 141. The disk 119 is positioned with its hole 121adjacent the aperture 149 of the top 13 and a member 145 of the tipstructure 141 inserted first through the hole 121 and then into the topaperture 149 to hold the disk against the housing 33. In this way thetop 13 is provided with a hat which will revolve with the housing 33.

Illustrated in FIG. 5 is yet another embodiment of the invention whereina jump ramp insert 161 is held to the second planar surface 101 of theaccessory 11. The jump ramp 161 includes an inclined ramp 163 having anentrance end 165 adjacent the surface 101 and an exit end 167 at theupper end of the ramp adjacent a concave dish or cup 169. The jump ramp161 and the cup 169 are integrally molded with and supported by asupport structure 171 having six ann portions 173 with boss-gripping capportions 175 disposed to register with the six raised boss members 111.The cap portions 175 include cavities 177 (see broken away portion) withdiameters essentially equal to the outside diameters of the boss members111 to provide a tight fit to hold the insert 161 in place. To utilizethis insert, an operator will place a spinning top 13 in the areaadjacent the entrance end 165 of the inclined ramp 163 on the surface101 and manipulate the accessory by the handle 21 to move the top alonga path generally described by dashed line and arrows 179 around theprojections 105, up the inclined ramp 163, and into the cup 169 where itmay, with additional skill, be captured in a small hole 181 in thesurface of the cup 169. FIG. 5a more clearly shows the relative surfacerelationships between the planar surface 101, the ramp 163 and the cup169, and FIG. 5b reveals the slight concave surface of the ramp 163.

The special tip structure 141, previously described may also be used tocouple two rotating tops together in piggy-back fashion as seen in FIG.6. This figure is partially broken away to more clearly show the novelcoupling technique. Although the lower top 13A has a slightly differentouter housing configuration than the upper top 13, it is functionallyequivalent thereto. The special tip 141 is simply inserted in the upperaperture 149A of the lower spinning top 13A as shown and the upperspinning top 13 is inverted so that its aperture 149 encloses the upperportion of the tip. The tops are initially started with oppositedirections of spindle rotation by pressing each starting tip to a planarsurface and moving in opposite directions. It should here also be notedthat instead of using the lower spinning top 13A, a pencil or otherpointed instrument may be inserted in the lower tip aperture 146 of thespecial tip structure 141 to support the inverted spinning top 13. Ashort length of pencil (not shown) may, if desired, be inserted in aninverted spinning top with its point pointed downward to producescribble designs over the surface on which the top and pencil aresupported. An inverted spinning top may also be supported at its housingaperture by a marble or similar spherical object for even differententertaining effects.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a second tip structure 142 is shown being usedto support an inverted spinning top 13 on a special pedestal 183. Thetip structure 142 is somewhat similar to the first tip structure 141 buthas two oppositely extending xframe members 185 extending from acentrally disposed disk member 187. The frame members 185 are adapted tofit into and be frictionally held in the apertures 149 of the tops 13,and relatively small ball-like tips 189 and 191 are disposed at the endsand on the longitudinal axis of the frame members 187, the tip 191having a slot 193 in the end face thereof. The pedestal 183, on theother hand, includes a circular base 195 and a support post 197supported thereon perpendicularly to the plane of the base 195. It willbe noted that the post 197 has a gradual tapered surface first section199, a step 201 leading to an abruptly reduced diameter second section203 with a similar taper and tip receiving socket 205 in an end 207.

When it is desired to support the spinning top on the pedestal 183 bymeans of the second tip structure 142, the slotted tip end of thex-frame member 185 is inserted into the aperture 149 and the round balltip 189 set into the socket 205 of the pedestal. In this way thespinning top will be allowed to pivot about the pedestal socket at anyangle in the vertical plane between the vertical and to, and even below,the horizontal. At the same time, the top 13 will rotate about thevertical axis of the pedestal s post 197.

If, however, it is wished to support the spinning top 13 on a cord orwire 211 as illustrated in FIG. 7a, the opposite end of the second tipstructure 142 is inserted into the tops aperture and the cord engaged bythe slot 193 of the tip 191. Once so positioned, the top 13 will balanceon the cord 211 and may be caused to move along the cord by setting ormoving the latter off the horizontal, the top moving in the direction ofthe downward slope so provided.

Alternately, many interesting gyroscopic conditions may be set up byinserting the socket end 207 of the pedestal 183 into the aperture 149of the top so that the tapered and shape con forming second section 203is frictionally held in the receptacle member 151 of top 13. It will befound, for example, that in this configuration, the spinning top may bepositioned to be supported with one edge of the base 195 on a surfaceand the longitudinal axis of the top at nearly any vertical anglesufficient to clear the tops housing 33.

It is again to be pointed out that the materials used in fabricating thevarious parts and elements of the embodiments shown are not critical andany material generally recognized to be suitable for similarapplications may be utilized. Likewise, the processes used in suchfabrication may be any conventional one known in the art. Preferably,all of the inserts, the accessory 11 and the various tip structures maybe molded from a high impact plastic.

It should further be clear from the foregoing that the invention issusceptible to numerous modifications and embodiments within the skillof the routine engineer and without the exercise of the inventivefaculty.

What 18 claimed 18 l. A toy top accessory for use with spinning tops,comprismg:

a tray with a handle member and a peripheral wall, said handle memberextending outwardly from said tray, said tray having a top side and abottom side providing, respectively, first and second oppositelydisposed portions each including playing surfaces and accessory insertholding portions; and

a plurality of removable accessory inserts disposable in said insertholding portions, each of said inserts having different surfaceconfigurations requiring different degrees and types of skill withspinning toy tops.

2. A toy top accessOry according to claim 1, wherein said removableaccessory insert is a maze positionable in said first portion of saidtray and having a generally planar upper surface with irregularpatterned trough therein, said trough in cluding parallel spinning topsurfaces and a relatively slightly raised wall portion extendingtherebetween except at the ends thereof, whereby a spinning top maypropagate in said trough along one of said top surfaces to an endthereof and return along the other or said top surfaces to form anendless path.

3. A toy top accessory according to claim 2, wherein said maze insertincludes holding means for registering with and gripping said insertregistering portions of said wall.

4. A toy top accessory according to claim 1, wherein said playingsurface of said second portion of said tray is a generally rectangularplanar surface (bounded by said peripheral wall), said second portion(side) also including a plurality of oppositely disposed straightpartial partitions each a part of and extending inwardly from positionsalong said peripheral wall in an orthogonal relationship with respect tosaid peripheral wall thereat.

5. A toy top accessory according to claim 4, wherein said planar surfacehas a longer dimension and a shorter dimension, and wherein two of saidpartial partitions extend inwardly from each of the peripheral wallportions in said longer dimension in a manner to divide the respectivewall portions into three equal lengths, and wherein one of said partialpartitions extend inwardly from opposite wall portions in said shorterdimension to equally divide the respective wall portions into two equallengths.

6. A toy top accessory according to claim 5, wherein said partialpartitions generally divide said planar surface into six rectangularareas, and wherein a boss member having a circularly cross-sectionedaperture in the top thereof is positioned generally centrally in each ofsaid rectangular areas.

7. A toy top accessory according to claim 6, wherein the boss membershave insert holding portions.

8. A toy top accessory according to claim 7, wherein said removableaccessory insert is a ramp-jump insert positionable in said second sideof said tray and having an inclined ramp and a circular concave disharea, said ramp terminating at one end at said planar surface and at theother end at the periphery of said circular concave dish area, said disharea having a relatively small diameter aperture in the surface thereof,thereby allowing a skillful operator to cause a spinning top to travelupwardly on said ramp and into said dish area and engage said aperture.

9. A toy top accessory according to claim 8, wherein said,

ramp-jump insert includes holding means registering with and grippingsaid insert holding portions of said boss members.

1. A toy top accessory for use with spinning tops, comprising: a traywith a handle member and a peripheral wall, said handle member extendingoutwardly from said tray, said tray having a top side and a bottom sideproviding, respectively, first and second oppositely disposed portionseach including playing surfaces and accessory insert holding portions;and a plurality of removable accessory inserts disposable in said insertholding portions, each of said inserts having different surfaceconfigurations requiring different degrees and types of skill withspinning toy tops.
 2. A toy top accessOry according to claim 1, whereinsaid removable accessory insert is a maze positionable in said firstportion of said tray and having a generally planar upper surface withirregular patterned trough therein, said trough including parallelspinning top surfaces and a relatively slightly raised wall portionextending therebetween except at the ends thereof, whereby a spinningtop may propagate in said trough along one of said top surfaces to anend thereof and return along the other or said top surfaces to form anendless path.
 3. A toy top accessory according to claim 2, wherein saidmaze insert includes holding means for registering with and grippingsaid insert registering portions of said wall.
 4. A toy top accessoryaccording to claim 1, wherein said playing surface of said secondportion of said tray is a generally rectangular planar surface (boundedby said peripheral wall), said second portion (side) also including aplurality of oppositely disposed straight partial partitions each a partof and extending inwardly from positions along said peripheral wall inan orthogoNal relationship with respect to said peripheral wall thereat.5. A toy top accessory according to claim 4, wherein said planar surfacehas a longer dimension and a shorter dimension, and wherein two of saidpartial partitions extend inwardly from each of the peripheral wallportions in said longer dimension in a manner to divide the respectivewall portions into three equal lengths, and wherein one of said partialpartitions extend inwardly from opposite wall portions in said shorterdimension to equally divide the respective wall portions into two equallengths.
 6. A toy top accessory according to claim 5, wherein saidpartial partitions generally divide said planar surface into sixrectangular areas, and wherein a boss member having a circularlycross-sectioned aperture in the top thereof is positioned generallycentrally in each of said rectangular areas.
 7. A toy top accessoryaccording to claim 6, wherein the boss members have insert holdingportions.
 8. A toy top accessory according to claim 7, wherein saidremovable accessory insert is a ramp-jump insert positionable in saidsecond side of said tray and having an inclined ramp and a circularconcave dish area, said ramp terminating at one end at said planarsurface and at the other end at the periphery of said circular concavedish area, said dish area having a relatively small diameter aperture inthe surface thereof, thereby allowing a skillful operator to cause aspinning top to travel upwardly on said ramp and into said dish area andengage said aperture.
 9. A toy top accessory according to claim 8,wherein said ramp-jump insert includes holding means registering withand gripping said insert holding portions of said boss members.